The Blessed Curse (The Elder Blood Chronicles Book 4)(49)

“Thank the Divine you fell in love with me rather than him. Had the two of you had time to formulate plans together, I shudder to think what the world might have faced,” Valor sighed.

“Our plans do work, Valor. They are simply a bit unconventional,” Jala said with a sigh.

“So what is the plan this time?” Valor pressed, his dark blue eyes settling on Jala.

“I’m going to raise the Tevonale islands,” Jala informed him, her chin tilting upward as she spoke as if daring him to object. “So, essentially rebuilding a continent, then?” Valor asked, his voice still calm, but Zoelyn could see his eyes growing stormy. “The Blights will need a land to claim as their own if Shade succeeds in swaying them from Glis. Which he will succeed in,” Jala explained as if it was perfectly rational to discuss repairing a destroyed country.

“I don’t like it,” Valor grumbled. “Why can’t we simply set aside a territory in the Greenwild for them? That wouldn’t require risking your life using this much magic again.”

“I won’t be risking my life, Valor. I know exactly how to do this using the least amount of magic. It can’t be the Greenwild, or Gaelyn or any other place that borders another land. It has to be separate or they will be blamed for everything that goes wrong in the neighboring country and you know it,” Jala said quickly as she moved closer to him and took his hands in her own. “Think about it, Valor. Who else would give them the benefit of the doubt?”

“I don’t like it, but I see your point,” Valor sighed and pulled her closer to him. He nodded slowly and kissed her forehead. “I will concede to this on one condition.”

“What’s that?” Jala asked as she stared up at him with a look of adoration.

“The moment I sense you are draining yourself too far, you stop the magic,” Valor answered and watched her carefully as she shifted in his arms.

“But what if I’ve almost completed it and I have just another second or so to go?” Jala asked with a faint frown.

“Then I will knock you out to end the magic right then and there if you don’t look like you are going to stop the spell yourself,” Valor replied with a grin.

“Way to go, Valor. If the woman won’t listen, beat her. That’s a fine lesson to teach your son,” Shade cut in with sarcasm dripping from his words.

“I have to agree with Shade here,” Jala objected, pulling back a bit from Valor.

“Then I’ll politely ask Zoelyn to knock you out,” Valor amended with a slight chuckle.

“Uhh.” Zoelyn mumbled, shifting in her seat. Until the mention of her name she had been content to simply watch them. She could learn a lot about people by watching them and so far what she saw from the two of them gave her hope about her new home. Right up to the point that Valor brought her into the conversation.

“He is joking, Zoelyn. He wouldn’t ask you to do anything of the sort,” Jala assured her with a grin.

“If Jala was pushing herself too hard and risking her life, I would not only ask it. I would provide the club to hit her with,” Valor insisted and by the expression on his face and the look in his eyes Zoelyn knew without a doubt he wasn’t joking.

“Everything will be fine. I’ve thought this through,” Jala said with a sigh and pulled free of his arms as she wandered back to her seat.

“Oh, I have heard that before,” Valor groaned softly.





*





The waves crashed against the rocks with such force that the entire island seemed to tremble beneath them. Zoelyn shrank back from the cold water and walked slowly to the back of the ship. The entire island was barren without so much as a blade of grass in sight. Her eyes scanned the black water surrounding them and she shivered. This was a place of nightmares to her after her time in the lush valleys of Arovan.

“Deadlands,” the Blight whispered beside her and she barely caught the single word through the cutting wind. She wasn’t sure if he had tried to tell her more or not, but knew it was futile to ask him to repeat himself. Even if he did, it would be a whisper, and the wind and waves were so loud she would miss his words a second time.

“Val, can you do something about this wind, please?” Jala called loudly from near the ship’s door. Zoelyn turned to watch the High Lady as she stepped away from the ship, a long white coat wrapped tightly around her. Valor had moved several feet away and was staring up at the sky with a look of concentration showing on his handsome face.